The invention concerns a compression or support stocking to encase a human leg, comprising a first understocking and a first overstocking, each with a leg section, which can be worn over each other, wherein the overstocking is permanently or only temporarily worn over the understocking.
Compression and support stockings are used in medical compression therapy and also in the non-therapeutic cosmetic area as support stockings to apply resting and also working pressure to a human leg. Resting pressure in this context refers to the pressure that the stocking as such applies to the resting leg, whereas working pressure is the pressure that is exerted on the leg through muscle contraction and by the stocking while the leg is being moved.
In this context, it is also common, in addition to pure compression therapy for treating a number of venous diseases, to treat illnesses where compression pressure is to be applied in addition to wound dressing. For this purpose, a wound dressing is first applied to a wound and a compression stocking is then pulled over it.
A method for treatment of such diseases is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,567, where an easily applicable loosely-knit sock is first pulled over the wound dressing material and then an elastic sock with a low coefficient of friction is pulled over the first understocking between stockings, with the application of the second stocking being facilitated due to the low friction between the stockings.
The above-mentioned method envisions that the understocking has no compressive effect whatsoever. The overstocking can have a compression ranging from 10 through 50 mm mercury in the ankle area.
The disadvantage of that system is that the overstocking must have high compression power as all compression is to be achieved by the overstocking. Furthermore, there is the danger of wrinkling in the area of the understocking as the understocking is loosely applied.
In addition, DE 42 16 650 A1 provides a cosmetic support stocking for treating cosmetically relevant orange-peel skin and improving the physiological muscular pump, consisting of several compression stockings or compression pantyhose or bandages that are to be worn over each other. Furthermore, the individual parts can be firmly or flexibly joined with each other to secure their positions relative to each other.
Each individual stocking has only a low compressive effect and can thus be easily and quickly applied. Pulling several stockings over each other, however, considerably increases the pressure exerted on the skin, so that a sufficient compression pressure is eventually achieved.
Finally, a multilayer compression stocking system is known from WO 01/00118 A1, which envisions markings for the positioning of the stockings relative to each other to ensure that the compression pressure is distributed correctly on a leg.
Furthermore, a number of monolayer compression stockings are known.
Norm RAL-GZ 387 of September 2000 governs the measuring and quality assurance of medical compression stockings. The testing provisions of the norm describe how the pressure of a compression stocking on a leg is to be determined.
The invention is based on the task of providing a generic compression or support stocking to encase a human leg which can be used favorably to treat chronic venous insufficiency as well as its signs, symptoms and complications such as, for example, Ulcus cruris venosum, while ensuring easy application.